If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that I’m highly in favour of people learning to be more adaptable. Adaptability a skillset that prepares us for whatever the future requires.
I’m a fan.
Except when adaptability is used as an excuse for poor communication or follow through.
I work with teams, consortiums and associations that say they want to be more adaptable. But sometimes they change direction without communicating that change, and/or without sticking with the previous decision long enough to let its consequences play out. In the absence of further instructions, their colleagues are left executing what is now an outdated directive.
People crave stability and predictability. Without it, I’ve seen them ignore requests to get things done, figuring that if they keep their head down for long enough, the expectations will change again anyway. Over time, people stop believing what they’re hearing and trust erodes.
Thoughtful adaptability is wise and necessary. A short organizational attention span in the name of “adaptability” can be exhausting and counterproductive.